


Tides of Time

by Steangine



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Orihime is already dead in the story, after canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 19:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11951358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steangine/pseuds/Steangine
Summary: Orihime died and Ichigo is lucid about his feelings towards her and their son. But he would have never thought that the first person who accepted his feelings without putting on them a benevolent screen in a poor attempt of making him feel better would have been Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.[GrimmIchi][past IchiHime - sort of one sided]





	Tides of Time

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came up one night, right before I fell asleep.

Inoue Orihime died.

The girl that Aizen considered being on the same level of a god, was consumed by her own power. One day her vital functions stopped and her soul shattered in dust. Ishida Uryuu witnessed it, they were walking together and talking about her son when Inoue collapsed, the soul detached from her body and disintegrated in grains of dust. Her expression showed an unnatural calm as she disappeared in the middle of the orange light of sunset.

“She hadn’t been feeling well lately… I thought it was because of her recent flu.”

That summer was so hot that it was impossible walking under the afternoon sun without an umbrella. But Ichigo stood in front of the grave and those were the only words he muttered as his son cried onto his arms.

Maybe they overused Orihime’s powers in the past. She was always there to undo whatever they messed up and that put on her shoulders too many weighs. In the end, she broke in silence under their pressure.

The same evening of the funeral, Ichigo sat with Ishida in front of a stall in the street behind their high school.

“She just fell and disappeared.” Ishida said at the third glass of sake. “She smiled at me while fading away.” Silence. “I’m sorry.”

“No.” Ichigo’s smiled was taunted by tiredness. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Ishida asked him why, but Ichigo’s smile was the only reply he got.

Kazui spent the first two weeks crying over his mother’s loss. He was never left alone. When Ichigo worked with his father at the clinic, Yuzu or Karin stayed with him and sometimes Hiyori was the one who went fetching him at school. Then Rukia and Renji’s visits with Ichika became more frequent and all Ichigo’s friends showed up at his home whenever they had some free time. When Kazui was with his father, he never left him and always held onto his hand or clothes, as if he could have flown away like his mother did.

Ichigo started thinking again of his mother during those days.

“Dad…”

The feeling that had been taunting him appeared again one day at the clinic, when the day was over and they were cleaning.

“Have you found that pack of bandages? I’m pretty sure it was there…”

“No. I just… wanted to talk.”

Isshin put down the medicines he was adjusting on the shelf. His son had never been a talkative one with him, so, when he wanted to start a conversation, he knew it was something important. And he didn’t have to guess what he wanted to talk about.

“Sure. Let’s have a break.”

Isshin gave Ichigo the time for the coffee to be ready to clear his mind and settle his spirit. He gave him a mug with a rainbow-colored shooting star on it.

“Your mother bought this to me when I opened the clinic.”

“I know.” Ichigo smiled. “Dad… I’m feeling well.”

Isshin didn’t say anything and let Ichigo express himself with the words he wanted, taking all the time he needed.

“Really. I’m sad, yes. I am.” He repeated looking at the surface of the coffee. “I am… But I thought I would have felt… differently. Ishida is destroyed, he can’t find peace. And all I can think about is making Kazui happy. I feel sad, but not like I’d want to rip the world apart.” Ichigo sighed. “When mom died, I wanted to rip the world apart. I couldn’t find peace because she wouldn’t have been back.”

“People change, Ichigo. And so do their ways to handle with life.”

“I know, but…”

Ichigo put on the table the cup of coffee and bended his back forward, looking at his fingers intertwined one to the other. He leaned his forehead on the knuckles.

“No, I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m not mourning Orihime as I should.”

“There’s no fixed way to mourn over the death of someone we love, Ichigo.”

Isshin put a hand on his shoulder. Ichigo raised his head and was comforted by his father’s kind smile.

“Everyone feels differently and I think you’re doing great. It’s not nobody’s fault. Not yours, not the others’. It just happened. And supporting Kazui as you’re doing now is the best thing you could do.”

Ichigo leaned against the chair and stared at the white ceiling.

“Go. I’ll handle the rest by myself.”

“Dad–“

“It’s been almost thirty years that I’ve been handling this clinic alone. Don’t underestimate you dad! Go to Kazui.”

Ichigo smiled.

“Thanks, dad.”

When Kazui was born, he was given Ichigo’s old bedroom, but since Orihime’s death, he used to sleep with his father. Ichigo reached the bedroom, only to find the bed with the covers leaned at its feet and the window opened. A sinister omen started devouring his guts, but Ichigo run to his old bedroom, then went to Yuzu and Karin’s and inspected all the rooms in the house. He run back to the clinic.

“Dad!”

Isshin was taken aback by his distressed face on the verge of collapsing.

“Kazui isn’t home!”

Kazui was sitting near his mother’s grave. Into his arms he was holding the stuffed toy she bought him as a good omen present for his first day of Elementary School and he was staring at the tombstone in silence. Kazui crouched, leaning the head against the stone, and closed his eyes.

He was tired of sleeping without his mother, of awakening without the smell of her breakfast, of coming back home without her smile welcoming him.

“Mom, come back…”

He sniffled. Then something pulled his stuffed toy. Kazui opened his eyes and saw a white dog munching down on the leg of his rabbit. The dog had a white mask on him.

“Are you a Hollow?”

The dog barked, putting both paws on the white rabbit to lick all over Kazui’s face. The child giggled and wiped off tears from his eyes.

“Why are you here?”

Instead of barking, the dog sat down and tilted his head. To Kazui, it looked like the Hollow was puzzled.

“My mother died.” He said with a sob. “I miss her and I want her to come back from Soul Society.” He wiped off more tears before they could fall from his eyes.

Kazui tended his hand and was about to pat the dog’s head when a raging voice startled both.

“Kukkapuro! Fucking dog!”

A tall man with blue hair barked in their direction as he stomped his feet, approaching them. His clear blue eyes gave Kazui a quick cold look, then he grabbed the dog from his neck and raised it to his face level.

“You keep coming in Human World and those bitches send me to retrieve you. I’m going to roast your fucking butt with a Cero!”

Kukkapuro , seemingly unaware of the threat, gave a lick to his nose.

“You–“

“Hello. I’m Kazui.”

Kazui sat down and looked at the man. He had a jaws-shaped mask covering his right cheek and, even if the hole wasn’t in sight, Kazui realized he was a Hollow. The eyes of the man-Hollow darted to the tomb, then back to Kazui.

“The mad blond told the truth. The yapping woman died.”

“You mean my mom?”

The man bended his knees, crouching in front of Kazui with the dog hanging from his right arm.

“You are Kurosaki’s legacy.” He frowned. “You don’t look clever, just like your parents.”

Kazui didn’t know how to respond to that, so he didn’t say anything.

Kukkapuro jumped down from the man’s arm and leaped on Kazui’s lap, bouncing his snout against his chin. The child smiled and patted him on the head.

“The heck are you doing here alone at night? This place is hunting zone for Hollows and you don’t look that strong.”

“I was waiting for mom to come back from Soul Society. Dad said she was gone for a while, but I miss her.”

The man sat down, crossing his legs.

“You’ll wait for the rest of your life.”

“What?”

The moon made Kazui’s misty eyes glimmer.

“Your mother’s powers consumed her to her soul. She won’t come back to you.”

“Liar!”

Kazui stood up, making Kukkapuro rolling down. The dog didn’t whine, just gave a curious look to the kid.

“You’re a Hollow and so you’re lying! Mom’s spirit is still alive!”

Kazui glared at him, then his eyes shifted to a point at the man’s back and they widened in surprise. “Dad!”

Ichigo was climbing the last stairs heading to the graveyard. Kazui run at him jumping onto the tight embrace of his father.

“Kazui! Are you okay?”

“Yes!” He sobbed. “Dad, he’s a liar!”

Ichigo raised his head and looked at the Hollow. All the worries turned into a deep irritation.

“What have you done to my son, Grimmjow?”

Grimmjow shrugged. “Just told him the truth.” His voice made clear that he didn’t care about the kid. “I bumped on him by chance, don’t worry. I don’t pick on weaklings.”

“What truth?”

Kazui had his face covered in tears and snot running to his lips.

“He said…” A hiccup. “That mom won’t be back! But she’ll be, right?!”

Ichigo felt the weight of the truth falling inside his stomach all at once. His son’s hopeful eyes were making his throat burn and he just managed to hug him as tight as he could.

By the time Ichigo glanced at Orihime’s grave, Grimmjow was gone.

“Yo, Kurosaki.”

One month since Orihime’s death and Grimmjow showed himself at the clinic as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He was sitting on one of the beds and examining an empty can of drugs.

“Fuck you, Grimmjow.” Ichigo replied with calm with his eyes fixed on an x-ray of an arm. “My son started talking again to me three days ago. Thanks a lot.”

“Don’t put the blame on me.”

Ichigo put down the x-ray and turned to face Grimmjow.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t put blame on me. I told him the truth.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Like I knew you wanted to lie instead of facing the problem.” Grimmjow cackled. “Dammit, that runs in the family.”

“What?”

“You were never told your Quincy heritage – don’t give me that look, when you were beaten by Ywhach I had a long talk with the mad hat and grasped it from his saying. And that Inoue preferred shutting his mouth and following Ulquiorra instead of telling what happened. She would have probably avoided many damages the other way round.”

Ichigo couldn’t control himself. He grabbed Grimmjow from the collar of his white jacket. But in his human body he hadn’t enough strength to push him against the wall nor to punch him into the face. He tried the latter anyway and miserably failed. Grimmjow grabbed his punch without even trying to look bothered, he looked just bored.

“Go fuck yourself elsewhere, Grimmjow!” Ichigo let go of his jacket. “I ain’t none of your shit!” He tried to pull away his arm, but Grimmjow’s clench didn’t release from his fist.

“Go take your fucking Shinigami form, Kurosaki.”

“Fuck you!”

Grimmjow leaned his back against the wall and crossed the legs. “I’m free today. I can wait.”

Ichigo tucked his arm, but Grimmjow was holding him without any effort.

“How can I go if you keep me here?”

“Because if I release you right now, you’ll satisfy my request, sure.” Grimmjow snickered. “Make me.”

Ichigo had never found Grimmjow’s big grin so intolerable and oppressive. He had never felt the urge of hitting him like in that instant and had never wanted so bad to have Zangetsu at his side to slice him. He took a deep breath.

“Just let me go. I won’t turn into a Shinigami, especially for you.”

Grimmjow rolled his eyes to the ceiling and didn’t move from his stance.

When Isshin entered the clinic, he found Grimmjow standing against the wall and his son being in front of him. From the door’s perspective, it looked like they were holding hands, but he got closer and realized what was going on.

“Ichigo, have you finished to control the x-rays from the hospital?”

“No.” He gestured towards Grimmjow. “I have an impediment.”

Isshin frowned.

“I’ll let him go when he’ll agree to fight me. That’s all.”

“That’s bullshit!”

“That’s a nice idea.”

Ichigo was almost chocking on his own saliva. Even Grimmjow was stunned and looked at Isshin as if he had just said he was about to welcome Aizen into the clinic.

“Dad!”

“It’s been a long while since you used your powers. You can trust me when I say that keeping them stuffed too long inside make your head and body go numb.” He smiled. “Just go, I can handle work alone today.”

Ichigo didn’t feel Grimmjow’s hand on his anymore. He could have turned his back and returned to what he was doing. Instead, he shoved the hand on his white coat’s pocket and took out the Shinigami badge. Even if it had been ages since the last time he was forced to use it, having it on was a habit he had been dragging since high school.

But some things changed from high school. Hueco Mundo seemed the same, yet the few Hollows who dared to remain nearby the zone they arrived didn’t seem as brash as the one Ichigo was used too and they just stood there, observing him and Grimmjow without showing a tiny glimpse of killing intent. And Grimmjow improved. Ichigo witnessed some techniques he didn’t remember and he could undergo into a partial resurrection form that floored him.

When the fight was over, they were both lying on the white desert, counting the stars over them.

Ichigo’s upper part of his Shinigami robe was disintegrated in the combat, while Grimmjow’s clothes were almost intact, except for part of his left sleeve that exploded in his attempt of throwing an unusual Grand Rey Cero. Ichigo wrinkled his nose at Grimmjow, who wasn’t paying the slightest attention to him.

“I could get you now.” He said.

“You won’t.”

“Oh yeah? Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because this isn’t like you.”

“And what would be like me?”

“Bursting into Hueco Mundo being just a small fry and kicking everyone’s asses instead of going stealth.”

“That’s not related.”

“Not stabbing me in my back then. And you weakened, so I’d take you over in no time.”

“ _Weakened_ my ass. Guess who blocked your half-assed Gran Rey Cero?”

Grimmjow turned his head. Ichigo had the sensation he was examining him, but there was no clue from his straight face. But he noticed Grimmjow hadn’t a short breath as he had and that upset him.

“What’s wrong?”

“You have a big forehead. Never noticed with the bangs.”

“Shut up!”

The following day, Isshin found Ichigo staring at shelf of medicines.

“Do you need the key to open the glass of the shelf?”

Ichigo jolted. “No!” He pulled down his hair with a nervous gesture. “Just checking a medicine, that’s all.”

Kazui was never alone. His dad in the morning and evening, his classmates at school, his grandfather or Hiyori in the afternoon, his aunts or dad’s friends during the weekends. He was never left alone. When his mother was alive, he used to wander a lot around Karakura with his mother’s spirits at his side.

It had been a long time since his last walk on his own. When aunt Yuzu, who took a week of holiday from university, fell asleep on her bed while watching some anime with him, Kazui felt like taking a walk, but didn’t want to bother her. So, he went on his own.

When he reached the candy shop where lived his father’s friend with the striped hat, he met the man from the graveyard. The man recognized him and Kazui stiffened.

“He-hello.” He nodded. “I’m Kazui.”

“I know.”

“…who are you?”

The man had a severe glare and wasn’t smiling. Kazui wasn’t sure if he liked him or not.

“Grimmjow.”

“Grijow?”

“Grimmjow!” He snarled. “You’re as dumb as your mother.”

Kazui jolted. “Don’t talk about mom like that!”

Grimmjow snorted from his nose. And walked away. Kazui didn’t expect that and trailed him.

“You are so bad because you’re an Arrancar, right?”

No reply.

“Why you keep coming to the Human World? You can’t eat souls!”

No reply.

“And you can’t talk bad about mom and dad!”

Grimmjow turned so fast that Kazui didn’t stop in time and bumped on his legs.

“You know, little shit, if I were you I wouldn’t use that big mouth to speak nonsense in front of someone who could blast my head away with one finger.”

Kazui wasn’t used to that harsh behavior directed at him and to hear _bad words_ , as his mother had always called them. He witnessed his father arguing with Ishida, or Hiyori being angry at Urahara, but nobody had ever been mean to him or scolded him with anger; neither that time he almost fell from the window but ended up hurting his forehead anyway.

“But you can’t!”

Kazui put on an angered scowl and called his Shinigami powers. However, Grimmjow flinched on his forehead and sent him flying against the closest wall, stopping his transformation. Kazui was speechless.

His loud sobs called Tessai at him. The man arrived to console him and Grimmjow was there, watching over the crying boy.

Grimmjow didn’t leave when Tessai called Ichigo to come and fetch Kazui. He waited for Ichigo to arrive and stayed there when Kazui told him what happened. This time, Ichigo smashed Grimmjow against the wall, but the Arrancar’s dull expression made clear he let him to.

“You hurt my son!”

“And here I thought you wanted to fight.” Grimmjow rubbed the pinkie into his ear. “What a delusion.”

“Grimmjow!”

Ichigo’s eyes were sending flames and Grimmjow wondered if he had to hurt his son more to turn on his fighting spirit.

“Oh, shut up!” His harsh voice didn’t do anything to Ichigo, but had an effect to Kazui, who was listening from the other corner of the room, next to Tessai. “You’re full of shit! Dilly dallying with your human family, pretending you don’t want to fight but having your badge in your pocket all the time! Hollows will chase you forever as they will with your shitty weak son.”

“Watch your language, Grimmjow!”

“And you watch your son.”

Grimmjow’s voice was low and Ichigo was so distressed that he let go of the grip on him.

“What do you think, Kurosaki? That no Hollow will chase after that delicious soul until he’ll be able to protect himself? That ho Hollow will pass through the guard of that afro-idiot? Since when did you hung your sword? The other day I didn’t even go all out and you were short of breath.”

“That’s none of your business!”

“Time gets everyone, but you’ve been resting on your laurels so well that your butt turned flaccid.”

Ichigo didn’t find a quick reply and Grimmjow went on.

“Not my business, huh?” He repeated. “Then you’ll realize on your skin how many Hollows were this close–” His index and thumb were almost touching. “–to slice down your pretty son.”

Everyone fell silent. Grimmjow didn’t say anything else and exited the room.

Some minutes later, Kazui was playing with Jinta and Ururu on the yard and Ichigo was watching them sitting on the entrance with Urahara. When he came back from Seireitei, he was welcomed by a heavy atmosphere and long faces that were almost fitting for a funeral.

“Thanks for the tea.”

“It’s nice having guests from time to time.” Urahara smiled at Ichigo. “Even if I left for half a day and when I come back you all look like the world has ended.”

“Nah. Just Grimmjow was there and he hurt Kazui.”

“Oh, that explains the bump on his forehead.”

Urahara didn’t sound worried.

“And… Grimmjow talked about business and Hollows that were about to hurt Kazui. Do you know something?”

Ichigo peeked at Urahara without being too obvious.

“Of course I do.”

“You don’t even try to deny?”

“Why should I?” Urahara put the fan in front of him. “It’s related with Aizen’s experiments. I won’t get into details, but more than a hundred years of his ruling destroyed Hueco Mundo’s already delicate balance. Tier, the previous Third Espada who took Nel-chan’s place, is trying to establish again the small societies that Aizen destroyed. And she’s trying to prevent the most reckless Adjuchas, Vasto Lorde and Arrancar to go berserk.”

“Sending an even more reckless Arrancar after them.”

“Fight fire with fire. It had been working somehow.”

Ichigo looked at his son running after Jinta.

“Kazui can handle average Hollows, but an Adjuchas would be another pair of sleeves… I thought the strongest didn’t trespass the edges of Hueco Mundo.”

“That happened before Aizen and his fall. Now some are thinking that if they could invade Human World once, they can do it even without a Shinigami ruling over them. Fortunately for humans, but not for Hueco Mundo’s balance, most of them would like to break into Seireitei, to get revenge. Tier said many believe that Shinigami used Quincies as an excuse to execute those who didn’t want to follow them and are bringing quite the grudge… of course, you are on the list too, Kurosaki.”

“And why didn’t you–“

“There was no need to shove down your throat more worries than you already had and have.” Urahara’s serious look was enough to shut him up. “Despite what you may think, Grimmjow too wants Hueco Mundo to reach a status of balance. He’s not the kind of guy who wants to watch the world burn.”

“Just his enemies.”

“Like most humans do. Perfectly normal.”

“Not at all. You have a strange concept of normal.”

“Not all humans are good people like you are.”

“…thanks.”

Ichigo finished his tea when it became cold. He took a biscuit and looked at the sky.

“I think… the way he talked, Grimmjow will stop hunting the… rebels.”

Was _rebels_ the right word?

“Nah. He’s just mad because you weakened and he could swipe all Hueco Mundo’s desert with your ass if he wasn’t so disappointed.”

Ichigo almost chocked on the biscuit. Urahara chuckled at his stunned gaze.

“Weeell, none of you guys ever drops by for a visit if not for work!” He complained. “While Grimmjow comes here from time to time and unexpectedly we talk a lot. He’s a nice listener, but the type who makes people cry with his remarks. He said my hat is ugly!”

As he finished to speak, Kazui laughed trying to escape Jinta’s tickles. Ichigo looked at Urahara and wondered how in the world Grimmjow ended up making that particular remark.

Ichigo didn’t know if what he planned was a good idea or not until he felt Grimmjow’s presence into his house. The Arrancar made sure to reveal his presence enough for him to notice but didn’t went wild with his reiatsu to avoid being detected by other people.

He was sitting on a chair in the kitchen, his legs wide spread and his right ankle on the left knee.

“Yo.”

“What do you want Kurosaki? I’m busy.”

“You still have Hollows to catch on the frontier?”

Grimmjow didn’t look surprise. “No. I’m busy spending my time in a better way than wasting here with you if you have no intention on fighting me seriously.”

Ichigo gulped down the harsh reply that raised from his stomach and took a black bottle from one of the shelves along with two glasses. He filled both and Grimmjow took one. Without saying a word, both men gulped the liquor down in a gulp. The color was orangish, the taste sweet with a sour tinge of citrus lingering on the tongue. Ichigo filled them again, but this time he waited.

“It’s been a month. I started training with Kazui.”

“Exactly, how much do you think I care about you bonding with your son?”

“Well, I started training again by myself. This would make you happy.”

“In which distorted way into your shitty brain this would be making me happy?”

“You’ll get the fight I promised you.”

“After all these years, I’m fucking honored!”

“Are you being sarcastic, huh?”

“So sharp to notice…”

Grimmjow scanned Ichigo’s figure and made a disappointed grimace, showing his teeth.

“You’re still a mere shadow of what you were back when you defeated me.”

“You mean Yhwach.”

“No. I mean me.” Grimmjow drank the liquor and licked his lips. “You were a shitty brat who didn’t know his place and thought he was better because he had something to protect and all those fucking things that you vomited from your mouth. But you fucking fought with all you had and didn’t back up when that idiot Ulquiorra reached his second stage. Don’t give me that look, one could sense his reiatsu from miles away.”

Grimmjow stopped for a second, enough for Ichigo to drink and refill both glasses.

“Back then you started to show up your being a warrior and then crumbled down.”

“I’m not a warrior.”

“Of course you’re not anymore. Our last fight was a shitty struggle.”

Ichigo felt his head a bit lighter, but he drank another time. The alcohol burnt his throat and made flames into his stomach.

“I reflected a bit on that.” He put the left elbow on the table and leaned his cheek on the hand. “I made many wrong choices. I should have be sincere with Kazui from the start. And with Orihime too.” He looked at Grimmjow right into the yes. “I’ve never loved her.”

That was unexpected. Grimmjow opened his eyes wide at that sudden and unrelated revelation, yet, he didn’t say anything. Ichigo poured the liquor again, even if the alcohol was getting him all red on the cheeks, made his eyes misty and was also loosening his tongue.

“I liked her as a friend. But when she confessed to me, it seemed so normal for me to accept it. And it seemed so normal thinking about my future with her, because I didn’t dislike her. Having a wife, children, a job and stuff… that was the normal life I’ve always wanted.”

Ichigo raised the glass to observe the light of the kitchen creating orange glimmers on the liquor.

“I used her. I don’t know… Ishida loved her more than me. He still loves her more than me. Back then, when I was wondering if I really wanted to go out with Orihime or not…” He put the glass down with a sigh. “I probably just didn’t want to see his broken heart. He stepped aside and now he’s mourning her more than I am doing.”

He looked at Grimmjow with a half-grin. “They could have been happy together. She would have been happier. I’m not mourning the person I loved as a partner, I’m mourning a friend. I can’t feel that sorrow. Everyone keeps telling me this is just my way of dealing with my feelings. My dad, Chad, Rukia… But I know my feelings, they just don’t acknowledge them and I can’t feel like telling them I’ve realized I’ve never loved Orihime… but I do love Kazui. I’d do anything for him…”

Ichigo drank again and put the forehead on the table.

“So, you told me all this stuff just to hear you’re an asshole?” Grimmjow resumed.

“…mmmh, probably, yeah.”

“The role of the tragic hero doesn’t suit you.”

“They’ve already told me that.”

“And I had to come all this way just to hear your complaints on your bad life choices.”

“Yup.”

Grimmjow cackled and Ichigo raised his head just to lean the chin on his crossed arms. He was drunk. Grimmjow didn’t need to check it from his reiatsu swinging to a lower levels.

“You’re not an asshole. I would have stood your behavior more in that case. Feelings are difficult. Sure as death, you didn’t do what you did with the intent of harming her, but with the intent of giving her a nice life, because that’s what you do.”

“What?”

“Trying to give other people what you think it’s the best. With that woman worked well, she had a simple brain.”

Grimmjow ignored Ichigo’s scowl.

“You didn’t love her as a lover, yeah. So what? You gave her some nice last years, I can tell from your annoying brat.” Grimmjow filled again both glasses. “Stop mourning over your being a useless jackass and start moving your flaccid ass around. Shit happens and you can’t travel back in time.”

Ichigo’s gaze fluttered from the glass to Grimmjow, from Grimmjow to the glass and back again for few times.

“You don’t look like the type of Hollow saying things like these.”

“You can bet a Hollow would have blown his head off with a Cero instead of hearing your whining.”

“Why didn’t you do?”

“Because I still have to kick your ass. Firm ass, not the bouncing cushion you have now.”

“You spent a lot of time looking at my ass…”

Ichigo’s voice was wobbling and his attempt of having a serious expression turned into a grimace that looked more puzzled.

“I told Rukia I was afraid I’ve never loved Orihime and she told me it was just a phase I was going through. While you accepted it.”

“There’s nothing to accept in that case, dumbass. Despite someone accepting your feelings or not, they’re still there.”

“…are you talking about… what?”

Grimmjow could have brightened Ichigo’s numb mind and told him that despite he had never understood nor accepted his feelings of destroying him, they had never disappeared. They lessened or intensified, sometimes Grimmjow was almost sure he came to terms with them, but they taunted him for a long time. He wasn’t sure what was driving him now in his endless quest of the perfect battle with Kurosaki, but he would have never left the man ruin himself until he would have gotten another chance to kick his ass around Hueco Mundo.

He could have, but stayed silent and sipped the liquor with his misty eyes fixed on Ichigo. Ichigo took his glass.

“Thanks, Grimmjow.”

“What’s the look? I was human too once. Some things always work the same way.” He stood up. “Thanks for the shitty talk and the liquor. Pull your ass together and next time we meet just give me a good fight.”

His harsh comeback ruined what looked like an attempt of showing some manners – but probably those thanks were put in as a fixed sentence. __

Ichigo stood up and stumbled towards him. He didn’t recall his body being so unwieldy and his legs so shaky. But he got in front of Grimmjow and pulled the edges of his jacket. In the last years of his adolescence he added up to his height enough centimeters to fill the small gap between him and Grimmjow. He pecked on his rigid lips and looked right into his blue eyes. Ichigo lost few seconds contemplating them as if he had never seen such a clear color.

“I don’t know what this is, but–“

Ichigo felt a hand groping one of his butt-cheeks and Grimmjow hushed him down.

“You think too much.” Grimmjow licked his own lips and Ichigo followed the trail as if he was hypnotized. “Shut up and enjoy the fuck, Kurosaki.”

He kissed him back with a growl, pushing his back against the wall, and Ichigo let his thoughts flow away from him.

The ceiling was spinning in an interesting way and the couch was comfortable. Those were the only two things Ichigo was sure about. Oh, and his rear was hurting from the countless pounds Grimmjow gave him.

Ichigo turned his head to Grimmjow, who was almost finished to get dressed.

“Nice thing dad brought Kazui in Tokyo to meet with my sisters.” Ichigo gave voice to his thoughts. “Grimmjow?”

Grimmjow turned to him and Ichigo could enjoy the view of his messy hair not anymore combed back but falling all over his handsome features. If Ichigo had to pinpoint the exact time he started to find Grimmjow handsome and sexually interesting, he couldn’t have. He had no idea. It just happened: he wanted him and took him. Of course, the liquor gave a huge hand, tearing down the defenses around his instinct he had carefully build during his youth.

How strange, he realized, as he wasn’t feeling ashamed nor had the need to explain what went through his head. Ichigo was relaxed, but a bit lonely being alone and naked on the sofa.

“I want to do it again. In the future.”

Grimmjow grinned. “Maybe. If you don’t die fighting me.”

“I’m getting back on my feet.”

“Well, your ass wasn’t as flaccid as I expected. I’ll give you that.”

Ichigo smiled and abandoned his head on the armchair. Grimmjow disappeared behind the garganta and Ichigo wondered what would have happened next and what he should have done how he should have acted... Different answers popped up into his mind, but, for once, he ignored them all.

“Come what may…”

Only times would have given him the answers he was waiting for.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my headcanon on how the canon of Bleach goes on. Whether you accept it or not, I must remark that Grimmjow spent a lot of time inspecting Ichigo's ass in his road to going back to the round firm butt it was, so you should at least acnowledge his efforts.


End file.
